The European Board for Accreditation in Cardiology (EBAC) supports “the aim of continuing medical education/continuing professional development (CME/CPD) to maintain and update medical competence in cardiovascular medicine. This includes
- interdisciplinary and inter-professional CME – training in social and communication skills
- methodological tools like evidence based medicine, quality assurance, total quality management etc.
The individual physician is free to choose the type and content of CME/CPD, which he/she considers as appropriate to meet his/her needs.” (from: EBAC Policy Statement and Accreditation Rules)
With this regard EBAC has considered a wide range of learning formats as suitable for accreditation. In live educational activities it has for a long time been accepted, that each contribution may not last 60 minutes (the lower limit to be awarded one full CME point) as long as the whole event lasts at least one hour.
E-Learning material, through unlimited access and flexibility of use, has enhanced meeting individual needs in CME by providing not only well established learning formats online, but even problem oriented “point of care”- information to support clinical decision-making in the individual patient. EBAC thus considers so-called “micro-e-learning” a valuable adjunct to more comprehensive learning formats.